With a mocktail in one hand and a paintbrush in the other, freshman Ella McCoy began painting vibrant flowers and cascading vines on a black vinyl record. The Student Center atrium on DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus was transformed into an artist’s studio, with paint-splattered smocks on the backs of unoccupied chairs, pop music blaring over the speakers, plastic sheets on the floor to deter paint stains, and a colorful array of paint bottles for students to choose from. 

Drawn to the paint-and-sip event hosted by the DePaul Activities Board April 8, McCoy was simply there for a relaxing activity after a meal with friends at the nearby dining hall. DAB had a different goal with the music-themed celebration — creatively announcing the date of this year’s FEST.

FEST will be held May 17 on the Quad, but the headlining artist has not been revealed. The paint-and-sip event encouraged participants to decorate vinyls with popular music artists, like Harry Styles, Beyoncé and SZA, pre-traced onto the plastic. McCoy hoped the big-name musicians painted during the event might be a clue for the FEST artist, but Carina Risiglione, senior and co-concert chair of DAB, denied that theory. 

“It is a bigger known artist this year, but the people painted on the vinyl are people who headline Coachella and Lollapalooza,” Risiglione said. “Though FEST is the best music festival in Chicago.”

The event was hosted in partnership with Museica’s Art Studio, a sip-and-paint venue and classroom in Bucktown. Jessica Rodriguez, an art instructor with Museica, led students through the vinyl painting while offering tips and tricks to help make each artwork unique.

“It’s a mix between entertainment and creativity at our studio,” Rodriguez said. “All the different artists and diversity here is kind of what we’re all about. We want to make sure that everyone feels welcome and seen while enjoying their creative side and relaxing.”

Risiglione said the paint and sip event was meant to give students a creative way to interact with FEST before the actual concert. The idea of painting vinyl, and consequently having a physical piece of art to walk away with, became a way students could keep the long-term memory of FEST-related events instead of simply seeing the date written on a poster. 

Junior Lindsay Brisley enjoyed the event and is looking forward to FEST but was not thrilled by the date announced.

“It doesn’t really feel like the end of the school year as much,” Brisley said. “It’s not really a finale even.”

During the event, students shared their guesses for this year’s FEST artists including The Driver Era, Ruel and Phoebe Bridgers. The most sought-after artist this year is DePaul alumni Joe Keery, also known by his musician name Djo. 

However, not all the potential artists were mentioned positively.

“I swear, if it’s the Blue Man Group, I’m not going,” McCoy said. “ I don’t know what sort of ties they seem to have with DePaul, but I’ve only been here for almost one year and I’m sick of them.”

The FEST artist reveal will be April 24 after the Battle of the Bands event hosted by DAB and the DePaul Music Business Organization. Students at this event will also decide the student opener for the annual end-of-year celebration.